Blog

September 14, 2010

Czech removes Tax Holiday to Further Deflate the Green Energy Bubble

Czech is a Poster Boy of how not to implement a Feed in Tariff Scheme.While other countries like Spain,Greece have also faced Solar Booms,the Czech Bubble compared to the size of its Economy has been spectacular.The removal of Tax Benefits will further lower the returns for Green Investors which should probably eliminate the make the Czech Renewable Market next year.
September 14, 2010

Currency Wars seems inevitable as Global Economic Faultlines grow Deeper

Global Imbalances back to pre-Lehman Days Global Imbalances are growing deeper by  the day as the world returns to its unsustainable pre-Lehman days of Unbalanced Trade.Trade […]
September 14, 2010

Tirupati Inks Analysis – More Junk trying to raise money from the Primary Markets

Why would anyone want to invest in such a sorry stock is beyond me but I have seen even worse companies list so don't get surprised.The company is basically is using all the investor's money to become a decent business.Its current business with less than $1 million in fixed assets and $500k in profits is not worth putting money into.So if you are a super high risky investor then this stock would make sense for you.
September 14, 2010

Greece eases Bureaucratic Red Tape for Green Energy to spur its Tottering Economy

Greece has a totally confused Green Policy just likes it General Economic Policy.The Parliament had taken a go at simplifying the bureaucratic mess by eliminating permits and approvals for small plants below 500 KW.However 6 months have passed without much progress.Greece needs to do a comprehensive overhaul of the Green Subsidies.The Solar and Wind Costs have fallen greatly in the interim so it needs to reduce the FITs to normalize the returns.Otherwise it might repeat a Spanish/Czech Renewable Energy Boom and Bust.
September 14, 2010

Suzlon Energy looks towards Middle Kingdom as a Panacea to all its Ills but can China Resurrect the Company

20 GW of Capacity is expected to be built by 2010 end in China up from around 10 GW in 2009.Fierce Competition in the Wind Turbine Market has led to increasing distress for smaller players.Sinovel the biggest Wind Turbine maker which sold 3.5 GW in 2009 has been using price as a weapon to drive away competitors.These Companies are now trying to expand internationally.Korean Companies like Samsung,Hyundai are investing heavily in the Wind Sector and are on track to become formidable competitors in a few years.Suzlon's Chinese Dreams looks difficult to implement in reality.
September 14, 2010

Green Investing in India – Economically Backward Orissa remains backward in Renewable Energy as well

India's most industrialized and fast growing states like Gujarat,Tamil Nadu,Maharashtra have been the most aggressive in Green Energy as well.Gujarat has attracted huge interest in Solar Energy through strong support by the government.Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra account for almost 70% of India's 8-9 GW Wind Energy capacity.However economically backward states like Orissa,Bihar,Uttar Pradesh remain laggards in this respect as well.Orissa seems a classic case where the general economic lethargy extends to the Renewable Energy Sector as well.
September 14, 2010

The Real Reason Behind Japan's WTO Challenge of Ontario's Green Energy Subsidy Local Contect Requirements

While Japan is a big player in the Solar Energy Manufacturing Market,there are other significant players like USA,China,Germany which have not protested against this discrimination.So why is Japan so miffed as to approach the WTO over this issue.One reason that i can readily think of is the Huge Contract given to Samsung by the Ontario government.The agreement with Samsung gives it the subsidies to set up a huge solar and wind energy capacity in the province.The government will support the company through preferential grid access,subsidies and land.This has given a huge boost to the Green Ambitions of Samsung which wants to become a big player in the Renewable Energy Area.
September 13, 2010

Asia's Largest Utility Tokyo Electric a laggard in Renewables to invest a Whopping 2.5 Trillion yen in Low Carbon Energy

China,India and South Korea have been leading the charge buying up Oil and Gas Assets at an incredible clip around the world.TEPCO plans to buy upto 50% of its Uranium needs from internal purchases as well raising LNG purchases.Japan lost out to South Korea in Economic Diplomacy when it lost out on Lucrative Nuclear Power Plant Contracts in UAE.It is now jostling with USA and China for building Nuclear Power in Vietnam.TEPCO is a leading member of Japanese Consortiums in international bidding
September 13, 2010

Indian Renewable Energy Ministry (MNRE) gets criticized for missing Green Energy Targets

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been criticized by a parliamentary committee for missing out several targets on renewable energy installations and cost […]
September 13, 2010

Are 30% of Indians Totally Utterly Corrupt – Does not seem an Exaggeration given the Number of Corruption Scandals being Exposed

Supreme Court which is India's topmost Judial Authority has accepted a petition to look into the aspects of the 2G Scandal.Note past experience does not instill much confidence that justice will be served.The prosecuting agencies such as CBI and CVC are known to be puppets in the hands of the Ruling Politicians and you can't expect a person to prosecute himself.India's Manmohan Singh who has a very clean image strangely has defended A.Raja damaging his own credibility instead of taking a high moral stance and firing the Minister
September 11, 2010

India's Booming Stocks Fail To Discount Huge Risks due to Herd Mentality of Institutional Investors

These risks are real and not going away any time soon.They are waiting tinderboxes which could flare up with a small spark.India has managed a substantial premium in valuations over other emerging markets over its Consumption Led Growth.Institutional Investors know no better than common ones as was apparent from the 2008 Lehman Crisis.They are playing the Emerging Market Game till the Music Lasts.Make Sure you are not the one who finds no chair when the Music Stops.
September 11, 2010

Is the Humongous Solar Thermal Desertec Project a White Elephant Doomed to Fail?

The Desertec Initiative is the Biggest Green Energy Project ever conceived with a vast scale and an ambitious vision.However Desertec falls short on many parameters which are described above for it to ever reach fruition.While small scale versions of this Concept can be implemented like that by Solar Millennium in Egypt,the massive energy framework conceived by Desertec is not feasible.The Huge Subsidies and High Costs make it uneconomical despite its Clean Energy Promise.
September 11, 2010

Green Investing Weekly 3 – Top Reads from the Web

Renewable Energy JA Solar wins more than 500MW in cell supply contracts – Recharge News Solaria Raises $65M for CPV Development – RenewableEnergyWorld Vestas in Eye […]
September 11, 2010

EPA probes Water Contamination from Chemicals used in the Shale Gas Hydraulic Fracking Process

The US Congress had got into the act in 2009 through 2 Bills to regulate the Hydraulic Fracking Process and told EPA to study the process.The Stakes are high for the Oil and Gas Companies as Shale Gas represent a Huge Opportunity.North America has been a pioneer in this Technology with Shale Gas Extraction expected to spread rapidly in different parts of the world.The EPA Study and US Regulations will be watched closely by other countries which are formulating their own regulations in this regard.
September 11, 2010

Renewable Energy in India – Siemens establishes a beachhead to sell Solar Thermal Plants and Wind Turbines

Siemens is one of the largest conglomerates in the world with a huge Green Division.This German Giant is present in almost all sectors of the upcoming […]
September 10, 2010

India's Corruption Infested Realty Sector gets Raided by Tax Department in another Futile Exercise

The Developers as usual are being brazen about it denying any wrongdoing despite tons of cash and incriminating documents being found.These Raids never result in convictions or prison terms and in India are generally politically motivated.Most of the Government officials are a part of the gravy train and would not touch connected Real Estate Developers without a push from their political masters.Expect these Developers to start their business as usual in a couple of months as India's Political and Business Elite toys with the country's laws with impunity.
September 10, 2010

Should you buy Nokia as Meego,N8 and a new CEO Elop from Microsoft try to change Nokia's Fortunes?

Nokia is currently trading at extremely low valuations of 12x forward earnings and around 0.7x Sales which is extremely low by Technology Sector Standards.If the company can bring back the pizzaz behind its Smartphone lines,sell of its Nokia-Siemens unit the stock could easily double here.Nokia has one of the strongest brand names in the planet with great manufacturing and excellent global distribution.All it needs is a bit of Apple like Magic to return to its glorious days.
September 10, 2010

Lack of Governance leads to Massive Food Inflation in India even as Grain Stocks get eaten by Rats

Inflation continues to rule in the double digits as price of essential food commodities touches new highs.The Federal Government has stopped doing anything promising lower inflation figures in the next months thanks to lower base effect.However absolute prices as compared to 2 years are up almost 30-50%.The High Inflation has not affected the elite Indian classes as Stock Market make new highs and Industry maintains high growth rates.Naxalism is the direct outcome of this huge income inequality which is increasing every day.With no corrective measures being taken except some photo-ops by India's oppurtunistic politicians except internal strife to Increase in India.
September 10, 2010

Vestas in Eye of a Storm as 6 metre part of V112 Wind Turbine Falls Off – Should You Invest Now

Vestas is trading at historical lows with these repeated bad news taking huge chunks from the stock.However like Suzlon,Vestas is more like a Falling Knife than a Fallen Angel.Despite a major new order of 400 MW,Vestas stock has fallen even more.Like Nokia in Mobiles and Sunpower in Solar Energy,the industry has totally changed for these industry leaders.The structural issues with the major incumbent Wind Turbine Makers are too dire for short term order wins to help them
September 9, 2010

South Korea continues its Green Quest with Launch of its First All Korean EV Hyundai BlueOn Powered by SK Energy's Lithium Batteries

The South Korean Government has been one of the most proactive ones in promoting Green Industry.During the Global Financial Crisis,the Stimulus Program of South Korea had the highest percentage devoted to Clean Technology Initiatives.Driven by the Government,South Korean Conglomerates have been investing into Green Sectors.Samsung the biggest South Korean has already committed huge investments into CleanTech Sectors like Solar,Wind,LEDs.Korean Shipbuilders like Hyundai,Daewoo and Samsung are getting into manufacturing of Wind Turbines while Chemicals Giant Hanwha
September 9, 2010

India to Divest another State Owned Commodity Company Manganese Ore (MOIL) through an IPO

India has divested small equity stakes in a number of state owned Commodity Companies this year and the trend is expected to continue in the future […]
September 9, 2010

After Solar and Wind,Canadian Energy Behemoth Enbridge Dips its Feet into Geothermal Energy as well

Enbridge the Canadian Energy Company which is mainly into the business of Gas and Oil Distribution has been aggressively expanding into Renewable Energy in the past […]
September 9, 2010

US Union can only Complain Against Chinese Green Protectionism even as China overtakes USA in all Aspects of Cleantech Investment

China has overtaken the US and EU in Green Industry Leadership.US Utilities like Duke Energy have openly acknowledged Chinese primacy in this regard .Investment in the Renewable Energy Sector in China at $38 billion in 2009 was more than double that in the USA.Companies in the US are outsourcing Green Jobs to Mexico and China due to high costs and lack of Government support.2010 should see this gap widen further with Chinese plans to spend almost $760 Billion in Green Investments in the next decade.The Ernst&Young Ranking of the Most Preferred Green Investment Countries has further bolstered the case of Chinese Leadership.
September 9, 2010

Massive Buying of JGBs by China contributes to Yen Appreciation making Japanese see Red

One of the factors behind the Yen Rise is the Chinese record buying of Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs).The Japanese Finance Minister has become concerned as the Japanese cant reciprocally buy Chinese Government Bonds which are not freely traded.Note Japan has a huge government debt load of around 200% of Japans GDP which is mainly financed by domestic investors.China with its humongous Foreign Reserves is the biggest player in the Foreign Exchange Markets Today.
September 8, 2010

In China and India,it Pays to be a Skilled Blue Collar Worker than a While Collar one

Increasing College Education in Developing Countries has led to Unemployement and Low Wages for White Collar Workers.The increasing number of people armed with College Degrees has […]
September 8, 2010

Brazen Indian Stock Market Shenanigans continue as Prakash Steelage Stock Starts Falling

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that stocks are being manipulated to the detriment of the small investors.Experienced people in SEBI would surely know of such manipulation but they are not doing anything.The Prakash Steelage has followed the "Pump and Dump" Script to the letter with the stock in the process of being dumped.The stock fell 13% for no apparent reason and I expect it to soon fall far below its issue price.Note the Promoters of this Stock have already been convicted of Tax Evasion.
September 8, 2010

India's Weak-Kneed Reaction to Earlier US Discrimination leads IT Sector to become a Target of Anti-Outsourcing Politics again

India’s IT Sector had recently become a victim of new US Protectionist Policies when US Legislature imposed a $2000 Visa Fee on Companies with a Large […]
September 8, 2010

Government to give $500 million Performance Incentive to Greenest Indian States

India’s Powerful Central Planning Commission has decided to give $500 million from next year to Indian States making the most Progress in Going Green.The Agency has […]
September 8, 2010

Finland Proposes Innovative Blend of Renewable Energy,BioFuels,Smart Lighting and Electric Vehicles to Power a Highway to Russia

Finland is proposing to build a Billion Dollar Highway from its Capital Helsinki to a City near the Russian Border.This Highway will be the first Zero […]
September 8, 2010

Telecom Lobby and Lower Cost overcomes Security Concerns as Huawei,ZTE bag Indian 3G Equipment Orders

The Indian Government had blacklisted Huawei and ZTE earlier this year on Security Concerns.These Firms were said to have close relations with the Chinese Government and […]